Sri Vishnu Sahasramam contains 1008 Names of Sri
Mahavishnu. This entire compiling was done after the Mahabharata war and Saint
Vyasa Mahamuni wrote the entire versus with answers for the queries raised by
respective personnel they were part of that time.
Every Name of Sri Vishnu has a meaning to it;
quite apart - the phonetic vibrations by chanting each Name known as "Nama"
and the chain of names known as "Namavali" produces very fantastic
results of vibrations that are very essential for humans knowledge and wisdom.
What the phonetic sound vibrations create to the chanter or to the one who
hears it is very well established by many well-known scholars. For attainment
of spiritual liberation, one must involve himself/herself to the glories of the
Lord Sri Mahavishnu, by reciting the entire slokhas.
This not only strengthens the brain neuron chips but also
emits the brain wave at very beneficial limits that can revibrate the energies
into one's own body. Besides, the thought and thinking of a person can also be
regulated to divine path. That's the exact value, which bring every Bhakta
known as devotees of Sri Maha Vishnu.
The birth of Sri Vishnu Sahasra Nama - The 1008 Names of
Sri Maha Vishnu
The legend would have it, that
at the end of the epic Mahabharata war, Bhishmacharya was awaiting the sacred
hour to depart from his physical body unto the lotus feet of the Lord.
Yudhishtira, the eldest of the Pandavas, was desperately looking for the answers
to matters relating to Dharma and Karma. Lord Sri Krishna, who
understood Yudhistira’s uneasy mind, guided him to Bhishma to learn insight in
to this precious knowledge. It is relevant to mention that Bhishma
was acknowledged to be one of the twelve most knowledgeable people. The
other eleven being Brahma , Narada , Siva , Subramanya , Kapila , Manu ,
Prahlada , Janaka , Bali, Suka and Yama .
Why were these 1008
names chosen?
Does
the Lord get absolutely defined by these one thousand names? The Vedas
affirm that God is neither reachable to words nor to mind. It is said
that you cannot comprehend the Paramatma with the human mind alone, even if you
spend all your life trying! Given this infinite nature of the Paramatma,
who is not governed or constrained by any of the physical laws as we know them,
the choice of a thousand names of Vishnu by Bhishma should be recognized as a
representation of some of his better known qualities that are repeatedly
described in our great epics.
Some
might say that they do not understand the meaning of the Sanskrit words, and
therefore do not feel comfortable chanting them. But learning the
chanting of prayers even without knowing the meaning is a worthwhile act, and
can be compared to finding a box of treasure without the key. As long as
we have the box, we can open it whenever we get the key of knowledge
later. The treasure will be there already.
Others
might feel that they do not know the correct Sanskrit pronunciation, and do not
want to chant incorrectly. There is an analogy of a mother to whom a
child goes and asks for an orange. The child does not know how to
pronounce the word “orange” and so asks for “ange”. The mother does not
turn away the child and does not refuse to give the child the orange just
because the child does not know how to pronounce the word. It is the
bhaava (spirit) that matters, and so as long as one chants the name of God with
sincerity, considerations such as not knowing the meaning, not knowing the
pronunciation, etc, do not matter, and God will confer His blessings on us,
there is no way a devotee of Vishnu can meet with any dishonor or disgrace of
any kind.
The following vishnu sahasranama meanings are referred from trsiyengar.com and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu_sahasranama
The following vishnu sahasranama meanings are referred from trsiyengar.com and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu_sahasranama
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| * Lord Krishna in Kurukshetra battle feild. |
As directed by the Lord, he meets Yudishtra. At their meeting, Yudhistira presented Bhishma with six questions.
Shree Vaisham pãyana
uvacha:
Shruthvã dharmãna séshéna pãvananicha sarvashaha
Yudhishtara shanthanavam punarévãbya bashatha
Shruthvã dharmãna séshéna pãvananicha sarvashaha
Yudhishtara shanthanavam punarévãbya bashatha
Dharamana
–
Righteous man
Paavanaani
– mortal
integrity
Bhaashatha
-
bhaashatha
Shaantanavam
- bhishma
Vaisampayana, the
narrator to Dhritrastra says: Yudhishthira, as a righteous man ("dharamana") of spiritual
inclination, with the mortal integrity ("paavanaani") of a careful mortal, asks ("bhaashatha") Bhishma ("shaantanavam") quite an
interesting set of questions which are typical queries which the heart of
seekers will always ask.
Kimékam daivatham loke kim
vápyekam parãyanam
Sthuvantha kam kamarchanda
prapnuyur mãnavã shubam
Kim – Who
Ekam – the greatest
Daivatam – Lord
Loke – in the world
Ekam – protector
Parayanam – for all
Sthvantah – by glorifying
Kam – whom
Manavah – can man
Shubam – reach auspicious
Who ("kim") is the greatest ("ekam") Lord ("daivatam") in the world ("loke")?
Who is the one ("ekam") refuge ("paraayanam") for all?
By glorifying ("sthuvantah") whom ("kam") can man ("manavah") reach the Auspiciousness
("shubam") (peace and prosperity)?
By worshipping ("archantah") whom can a man reach auspiciousness (peace and
prosperity)?
Ko dharma sarva dharmãnam bhavatha paramo mathaha
Ko dharma sarva dharmãnam bhavatha paramo mathaha
Kim japan muchyathé
janthur janma samsãra bandhanãth
Ko – what
Kim – by doing
Japan – japa
Janthur – Creatures
Mutchyate – Go beyond
Bandhanaath – bonds
What ("ko") is, in thy opinion, the Greatest
Dharma?
By ("kim") doing japa of what can
“creatures” (jantu) go beyond
("mutchyate") the bonds
("bandhanaath") of
samsara?
*On the ninth day of Kurukshetra war Krishna,overwhelmed by anger at the apparent inability of Arjuna to defeat Bhishma, rushed towards the Kaurava commander, the wheel of a fallen chariot in his hands. Bhisma lays down his arms and is ready to die at the hands of the Lord, but Arjuna stops Him, reminding of His promise not to weild a weapon.
